Kippax Knights

Kippax Knights
Knight
Club information
Full name Kippax Knights RLFC
Colours Green, gold and white
Founded 2009
Website www.pitchero.com/clubs/kippaxknights/
Current details
Ground(s)
  • Longdike Lane, Kippax, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS25 7BP
Competition Rugby League Conference National Division

Kippax Knights are a rugby league team based in Kippax, England. Playing their home games from the well known ground of Kippax Welfare Sports & Social Club playing in the Yorkshire Men's League.

History

1948-2009

Kippax Welfare rugby league has been a part of Kippax village for many years. The first ever team was formed in 1948 by Jack Kielty based at the 'Old Tree inn'. In 1958 Kippax went on to win the Yorkshire Cup beating Castleford Lock Lane. By the late 1960s through to the 70s, Kippax were now playing from 'the White Swan'. Kippax were now at their best, famous for playing a no nonsense style of rugby and were amongst the elite of amateur rugby clubs. Kipaax has played in the Challenge Cup on numerous occasions, but 1973/74 was the first time Kippax played in the proper first round of the Challenge Cup coming up against Leigh Centurions which Kippax fell just short of winning. In the early 1980s, Kippax moved to the Longdike Lane facilities. This also saw the introduction of youth and junior teams, producing some of super league's finest players such as Matt Crowther, Paul Darley, Gavin Swinson and as well as two England and Great Britain internationals, Danny Orr and Andy Lynch. During the early 2000s, Kippax Welfare were now playing in the Pennine Leagues under ex Hunslet star Andrew Atha. Ex pros in Gateshead Thunder legend Andy Walker and Featherstone Rovers duo Kieran Hickman and Dean Ripley helped the aging team become Division Three Champions in 2002/03, Division Two Champions in 2004/05 and Division One Champions in 2008/09 as well as Castleford Cup Champions the same year meaning this was a double winning season, Atha was eventually replaced by a coaching team of David Jessey and Kippax Welfare and ex Super League star Gavin Swinson. While the Kippax 'A' (second) team won Pennine Division Six (Undefeated) coached by legend Neil Collins.

2009–Present

In February 2009, the team was renamed Kippax Knights and they joined the Yorkshire Premier division of the Rugby League Conference. The Knights managed to win the 2009 Yorkshire Premier Division in this first season, then they also went on to win the Grand Final, making it a double winning 2009 season. 2010, Kippax were promoted to the National League, with more challenging opposition they managed to finish in the play-off places, but couldn't go any further. The 2011 season started with a first round date in the Challenge Cup against Loughborough University with the Knights narrowly losing. The Knights finished 2011 in the Grand Final at Halliwell Jones Stadium, losing to Huddersfield Underbank Rangers. With the Knights' establishment, the future looks bright with our several youth/junior teams going from strength to strength both on & off the field.

Club honours

 Kippax Knights

Facilities

Kippax Welfare Sports & Social Club, Kippax, Leeds, LS25 7BP. The club house has a bar upstairs with a large room for socialising with windows facing our pitches so even in bad weather conditions you can still enjoy our match days. We also have a dance floor for private functions. Downstairs there are several changing rooms, shower area & a treatment room. There is plenty of car parking area, our local gym is situated just off the parking area as well as a tennis court & kids play park. We home several youth/junior RL teams, two successful open age football teams, a cricket team & for the maturer player not quite ready to hang up there boots, we also have a Masters Rugby League team.

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